Typographical casting machine



Nov. 2, 1954 I H'. G. ELLIOTT TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE -F'iled Sept. 5. 1952 TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Howard G. Elliott, Hot Springs, Ark., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Y Application September 5, 1952, Serial No. 308,047

9 Claims. (Cl. 199--53) This invention relates to typographical casting'machines storage in the magazines.

In these machines, during the casting operation, the composed line is, positioned in front of the mold between a pair of vise jaws, and it is the function of the wedgeshaped spacebands to spread out or justify the line just before casting to prevent the molten metal, when introducjed into the mold, from squirting through the line. Safety mechanism is provided to prevent the casting operation in the event that the composed line is too short or contains too few spacebands to be justified, and consequently, under such conditions, the type bar or slug is not produced. Nevertheless, the machine completes its cycle of operat1on,-- the matrices and spacebands comprising the line belng separated and returned to their storage magazines just as if a cast had taken place. l-Ience, when the machine is operating under the control I of an automatie unit,',such as a Teletypesetter tape control unit, the failure to produce a slug will almost surely go unnoticed until some later time.

. Heretofore, various alarm and warning devices have been suggested to catch the attention of the operator, but obviously these are unsuited for automatically operated machines. I

According to the present invention, means are provided .whereby the failure of the casting mechanism to funct 1on to produce. a slug in the machine cycle will stop the operation of the automatic control unit and thus prevent any further composition of matrices and space- .bands until the unit is rnanually restarted.v Such stoppage .of the control unit will soon become apparent to the supervisor in charge and he will be immediately put on notice of the particularline missing; whereupon, he can then backyotf the tape to the line which has been lost and recompose it under his direct supervision, making any adjustments necessary, such as inserting space- United States Patent Ofiice bands or blank spaces, to bring the line within the casting range.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and thedetailed description which follows.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig.1 is ajview of an electrical control circuit contemplated by the present invention, illustrating the castmechanism of the machine in side elevation and a portion of the tape advancing mechanism of the automatic control unit in rear elevation; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation .of the control unit drive mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

In the standard Linotype machine, the matrices and spacebands arer'selectively released from storage magazines by the operation of a keyboard and composed in line, and the composed line then transferred to a casting mechanism for the production of a type bar 'or slug.

' The casting mechanism includes a metal pot 1 containingthe molten metal and having a discharge throat 1 through whichthe metal is forced, on the down stroke of a pumpplunger 2,into' a mold (not shown) and against the composed line to form the type bar. The

.- tween the vise jaws.

metal pot is enclosed within a jacket 3. Before casting, the metal pot moves forwardly against the rear of the mold to make a tight lockup. The forward movement of the pot is controlled from a pot cam on the main cam shaft 4 acting against a vertical lever 5 at the rear of the jacket. The lever 5 is pivotally attached at its upper end to the jacket 3 and connected at its lower end to the-jacket through a very strong compression spring 6. The lever 5 carries a centrally disposed roller 7" which tracks upon the pot cam, and the arrangement is such that the pot cam, through the lever 5, tilts the upper portion of the pot forward before casting; howeevr, if there is any unusual resistance to the forward movement of the pot, the compression of the spring 6 allows the Y cam to make its complete rotation without damage to the parts.

The pump plunger 2 is connected by a vertical rod 9 to a spring-actuated bell crank lever 10 and is normally maintained in its raised or inoperative position by a cam 8 on the shaft 4 acting against the bell crank lever, but, at the propert time in the machine cycle, the contour of the cam permits a heavy spring (not shown) to operate the plunger for injecting the molten metal into the mold. A pivoted stop 29 normally stands in the path of downward movement of the horizontally disposed arm 10* of the bell crank lever, but the stop is adapted to be moved out of the way before the casting operation if the composed line is fully expanded or justified be- On the other hand, if the line is too short or contains too few spacebands, the stop will not be removed and the casting operation can not take place, all in the usual manner.

When, as herein, the machine is equipped with a Teletypesetter control unit, the automatic operation of the keyboard is effected by the passage of a perforated tape through a record reader mechanism, as shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,091,286 and others, and the tape is advanced in a step by step manner by a camactuated ratchet from a driven shaft 12; This shaft 12 is connected through a clutch mechanism 11 (see Fig. 2) to a worm or spiral gear 13 on a shaft 13*, and the gear 13 is in constant mesh with'a worm or spiral gear the rotation of the tape advancing shaft 12 is stopped by the movement of a lever 18 about its pivot 18* into engagement with the shaft. The shaft 12 is provided with a projecting lug 19 which, in the operated position of the lever 18, is adapted to enter a hole 20 (see Fig. 2) formed therein, said hole presenting a beveled or inclined edge 20* which engages the lug 19 and causes the disengagement of the clutch and thus brings the shaft 12 to a complete stop. The feed of the tape does not again begin until the line has been transferred from the assembler and the latter is ready to receive the matrices and spacebands of the next line, at which time the lever 18 is ;returned to inoperative position, releasing the lug 19 and permitting the reengagement of the clutch 11 to restore the driving connection to the tape advancing mech- 30 and 31 of the leaf type are arranged in a series circuit with a battery 32 and a rotary type solenoid 33. The

switch 30 is. mounted on a bracket from the machine frame just above the horizontal arm 10 of the bell crank lever 10 and is maintained closed by said arm when it is in the raised or inoperative position, but the switch is permitted to open on the downward or casting stroke of the arm. The switch 31, which is normally open, is

7 attached to the. machine frame in fixed relation to the cam shaft 4. The cam shaft is provided with a small projection which closes the switch 31momentarily after the beginning of the downward stroke of the plunger 2.

From the above description of the circuit, it is apparent that the rotary solenoid 33 will only operate when both switches 30 and 31 are closed, but under normal conditions (when the casting mechanism functions) one of the switches will always be open. For example, the switch 31 is usually open and is not closed until after the downward stroke of the plunger 2 has caused the switch 30 to open. But, when for some reason thecasting mechanism fails to operate, such as when the'l'ine is unable to be fully justified and pump stop 29 is not moved to release position, the switch 30 remains closed and shortly thereafter the switch 31 is closed to effect the energization of the rotary solenoid 33. 1

When the solenoid 33 is energized, the armature 33 thereof is caused to rotate and engage a pivotal trip member 34. The member 34 is adapted to rest against the armature 33 in a position very near the vertical (.the position represented by the dotted lines in Fig. l)'; and when the armature 33 rotates, the member 34 is swung to and beyond the vertical position, falling by gravity to the horizontal, where it is effective to close a third (leaf type) switch 35. The switch 35 is in series with a battery 36 and a plunger type solenoid 22', and the operation of this solenoid attracts the lower end of a pivotal lever 23, the upper end of which is connected to the lower end of the lever 18 by a link 24. Thus, the closing of'the switch 35 moves the lever 18 into operative contact with the lug 19 on the shaft 12 and stops the feed of the tape in the manner above described.

Although the rotary solenoid 33 only operates momentarily, the trip member 34 will remain in the horizontal position and maintain the solenoid 22 energized until the trip member is manually raised and restored to-its inoperative position against the armature 33 When'the trip member is thus raised, the current to the solenoid 22 will be broken, and the levers 18 and 23 will bereturned to inoperative position by means-of springs 25 and 26, respectively. Whoever performs this function to restart the automatic control unit will be put on 'not-ice that the casting mechanism has not operated-in 'agiven cycle, and the particular line that has been lost can be easily checked; he may then back off the tape in the record reader to recompose the lost line under his direct 40 otal lever for disabling said drive connection, a solenoid supervision, making the necessary adjustments to "bring the line within the casting range, or he may restart the unit and make other provision for supplying the lostline.

Although the rotary solenoid 33 .onlyoperates momentarily, the trip member 34 will remain in the horizontal position and maintain the solenoid 22 energized until the .trip member is manually raised and restored to its inoperative position against the armature 33 member .is thus raised, the current to the solenoid 22 will be broken, and the levers 18 and 23 will be returned to inoperative position by means of springs 25 and 26, respectively. Whoever performs this function to restart the automatic control unit will be :put on notice that the casting mechanism has not operated ina givencycle, and the particular line that has been lost can be easily checked; he may then back off the tape in the record reader to recompose the lost line under his direct supervision, making the necessary adjustments to bring the line within the casting range, or he may restart the unit and make other provision for supplying the lost line.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form and by way of example, but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein and in its mode of application without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, if desired the electrical controls may be replaced by mechanical controls, although that would involve unnecesary complications. It should .be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form orembodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of an automatic control unit for selectively composing matrices in line, a casting mechanism operable to produce When the trip a type bar or slug from the composed line, an automatic pump stop to permit or prevent the operation of the casting mechanism during any machine cycle according to the condition of the composed line, and means controlled by the pump stop and activated when the casting mechanism is .PIevented from operating for rendering the automatic control unit inoperative.

2. In a typographical casting machine equipped with a control unit for automatically composing matrices in line, the combination of a casting mechanism operable to produce a type bar or slug from the composed line, an electrical switch maintained closed when the casting mechanism is inoperative but adapted to open during the casting operation, a second electrical switch normally open but adapted to be closed during the .casting operation, the arrangement being .such that both switches will be closed at the same time during any machine .cycle in which the casting mechanism fails to function, and an electrical circuitestablished when both switches are closed for rendering the control unit inoperative.

3. In a typographical casting machine equipped with a tape control unit for automatically composing matrices in line, the combination of a rotatable shaft for effecting the feed of the tape, a casting mechanism operable to produce a type bar or slug from the composed line, an electrical switch maintained closed when the casting mechanism is inoperative but adapted to open during the casting operation, a second electrical switch normally open but adapted to be momentarily closed during the casting operation, the arrangement being such that both switches will be closed at the same time in any cycle in which the casting mechanism fails to function, a tem porary electrical circuit established when both switches are closed, and a'permanent electrical circuit established by said temporarycircuit for arresting the rotation of said tape feeding shaft.

4. A combination according to claim 3 wherein the tape control unit remains inoperative until the permanent circuit is manually broken.

5. In atypographica'l casting machine equippedwith an automatic tape control unit, the combination of a .casting mechanism operable to produce a type bar or slug from 'a composed line, means for preventing the operation of the casting mechanism if the line is not properly 'justified, a drive COHIICCtlOl'tfOl' advancingzthe control tape, a pivfor operating said pivotal lever, a-trip member movable to establishacircuit to the-solenoid, a se'condsolenoid for movingsaid trip member, and atpair of electrical switches in series with said second mentioned solenoid, -oneof said switches being maintained closed when the casting mechanism is inoperative but caused to open during the-casting operation and the other -of said switches being normally open but caused to close momentarily during the casting operation, the arrangement being such that if in any machine cycle the casting mechanism fails-to function both switches will be closed toprevent the further advance of the tape. r

6. A combination as set .forth inclaim 5, wherein said casting mechanism includes a 1cam-control led pump operating lever and characterized inathatsaid first-mentioned switch is controlled by said lever.

7. A combination as set forth zincclaim 5., wherein the said second-mentioned switch ;is .controlled'from the main cam shaft of the machine.

. 8. A combination as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that .thetape control unit is restored by manually resetting said trip member.

9. In a typographaphical'casting machine having a main cam shaft which partakes of one complete rotation during each machine cycle and equipped with .a pump operating lever operable during each machine :cycle to produce a type bar or :slug from .the composed line, the combination of an automatic control unit for selectively composing matrices in line and automatic means for rendering the automatic control .unit inoperative in the event the pump operating lever fails to operate .durinany machine cycle, said automatic means'being contro ed in part from the pump operatinglever and in ,part from the main cam shaft.

Goetz July 13, 1937 

